Forge Problems...

[shawn9106]

Ive started making railroad spike knifes and i have 2 finished but i used a torch to heat them up and beat them with a hammer and i decided to build a forge. Well i got the biggest soup can i could find and its really big but i line the inside with paris of plaster and sand mixed and i cant seem to get more then a inch red hot to beat with a hammer and it wont even let me get the handle hot enough to twist. Is there anything ive done wrong or need to do to fix this?

 

[Rhinoknives1]

My suggestion is to get Wayne Goddard's book, $50.00 knife shop.

You can make a forge out of a refractory brick and your torch that will heat up your spikes evenly.

 

[FullyTorque]

What kind of torch are you using and what does the inside of the forge look like? A picture might be best.

 

[shawn9106]

well the torch i was using before that i finsihed my 2 knives with was a full sized torch using oxygen and propane. But when i started on the forge i spent 60 bucks on a ts4000 bernzomatic.

heres my forge

http://s230.photobucket.com/user/shawn_m_g/profile/

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Plaster and sand is about the worst refractory I can think of.......... that is your problem.

Use soft fire bricks and make a 2BF, or use Kaowool or Inswool and make a better forge.

All forge building supplies and some good info can be found at HighTempTools. www.hightemptools.com